


Memories Are What We Make

by Emrys MK (mk_malfoy)



Series: Merlin and Arthur Live Again [14]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Character Death, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-14
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-13 20:30:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5716066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mk_malfoy/pseuds/Emrys%20MK
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin gives a maudlin Arthur his birthday present as they visit Arthur's mother's grave.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Memories Are What We Make

**Author** : Emrys MK  
**Title** : Memories Are What We Make  
**Rating** : PG-13  
**Characters/pairings** : Merlin/Arthur, Uther  
**Summary** : Merlin gives a maudlin Arthur his birthday present as they visit Arthur's mother's grave.  
**Words** : 1000  
**Warnings** : angst, reference to a past character death  
**Prompt** : 193: Remembrance  
**A/N** : Part fourteen of my reincarnation series [Merlin and Arthur Live Again](http://archiveofourown.org/series/327398).

 

Arthur traced the recently engraved characters with his finger. Forty-nine of them that told the only story of his mother’s life most people would ever know, but to Arthur they were a portal. Beyond the man-made letters and numbers his mind’s eye replayed memories that he hoped would live within him forever.

He attempted to grin through the tears that threatened to fall as he set the flowers down in front of the granite headstone. Ten months it had been. Ten _excruciating_ months. He lifted a hand to wipe away the tears, but gentle hands batted it away and two warm thumbs lovingly wiped away the tears and he was pulled into a hug. Arthur held on tightly as he allowed the warmth to penetrate the chill that had settled within his body. “I miss her so much.”

“I know,” Merlin whispered as he kissed the top of Arthur's head.

“Thank you for making the trip to be here, Merlin. I couldn’t do this without you,” and Arthur allowed himself to imagine just what the previous ten months would have been like without having the man he loved with him every step of the way. It was unthinkable and the thought of ever losing Merlin caused him to tighten his hold on him. 

As his father had reminded him earlier that morning, Merlin would celebrate his seventeenth birthday in less than a month and, just as Arthur was, he was young. Were they too young for such a commitment? Arthur’s father had warned him that as much as he thought Merlin was the one for Arthur, they were both young and he should be careful because it wouldn’t do for him to give his heart away only for it to be thrown away if Merlin decided Arthur wasn’t the one for him.

“I love you, Merlin,” Arthur said through his tears, but then he cleared his throat and when he thought he could speak again, he pulled back, but only enough to look into the blue eyes he knew he could stare into forever. He searched them and saw love, security, warmth and years of comfort. “Are we being foolish? Thinking this, us will be forever?”

Merlin vigorously shook his head. He didn’t speak for a minute or more as his eyes searched Arthur’s face and looked imploringly into his eyes. “Do you think we’re being foolish?” he asked, trembling, the immense emotion behind his words undeniable. “Arthur?”

“No,” Arthur said emphatically, smiling as he traced Merlin’s face with his fingers. How could loving Merlin ever be foolish? He leant in and brushed his lips across Merlin’s, then pulled back and turned to look down at his mother’s final resting place. “She knew you were the one for me and even Father knows how good you are for me. It scares me to think what the future could bring, but I have to trust that our love will get us through anything.”

Merlin nodded and took a deep breath. “Yeah, me, too." He then knelt and picked up something from the ground and handed it to Arthur. “I know it’s a week early, but I think today is the proper time to give your birthday present to you.”

Carefully unwrapping the gift, Arthur grinned as he looked at Merlin. “Your mother wrapped this, yeah?”

“You surely don’t think I did, do you?” Merlin asked with a laugh. “I planned to hand the box to you as is. Mum was having none of it; she took it away last night and this morning it was on the kitchen table when I went in for breakfast.”

Once the paper was removed, Arthur saw the box and looked up at Merlin. “The glasses,” he mouthed, his expression one of awe. He didn’t know what else to say as he carefully opened the familiar box he hadn’t seen in ten years. He withdrew one of the glasses, handed it to Merlin and took out the other. He swallowed. “Why both of them?” he asked. He thought Merlin should keep one.

“I’ve kept them for ten years. Now it’s your turn to keep them, Arthur. You can give them back to me in another ten years. I plan on us being together for many exchanges,” Merlin said as he took the glass Arthur held and set it, along with his, in the box and placed it beside the flowers. He then sat on the ground and motioned for Arthur to do the same. “Do you remember how upset your mother was when she saw that we had real glasses in my room? I thought we were going to be grounded for life, but my mother told her not to worry, that we hadn’t spilled anything and that the glasses had been her mothers and hadn’t been used for years. Then she told me if I wanted them, I could have them.” Merlin had a goofy, dreamy look on his face.

“Yeah, I remember," Arthur said as he glanced over at the box. "I guess Mum was worried because Father was so strict about me not having food or drink in my room. I remember your mum putting the glasses in that box and setting it on the top shelf of your cupboard and telling you and me they were not to be used and they weren't toys to be played with. It’s a wonder we didn’t break them that night with how hard we clinked them together.” Arthur let out a hearty laugh.

“Yeah, I think that’s why she told me they were off limits; she knew how clumsy I was.”

“It’s just one of your many charms that makes you so lovable, Merlin,” Arthur said as he reached out and took Merlin’s hands in his. “Thank you. I needed something to smile about today. You always know what I need and when I need it.”

“And I always will, Arthur.”

“Always will what?” asked Arthur's father as he walked over to them, a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

“Love your son,” Merlin said without hesitation.


End file.
